Disclaimer of sorts: Okay so believe me when I say this I'm telling the truth: I do not want to start any wank. This place is wank free and I want it to remain that way but I do have a serious question
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To be honest, no matter what, even if I've put my entire heart into a fic and am deeply attached to it I want to hear any constructive criticism on it. I never usually say that because of the comment limits being...positively horrible on the meme, but really, I've been writing for years and I can tell you I'm better than I started simply because people would give me crit.
But at the same time, there are a fair amount of writers who...are quite fabulous and I honestly can't think of things to crit them on because they're at a level that is higher than me and it makes it hard.
I do agree that perhaps we do need more constructive criticism, though.
I personally hesitate to offer critique because (a) as previously stated, it is usual not explicitly solicited, (b) kink memes are like the bunny slopes, where all are encouraged to join the slippery slope that is fanfic*, and (c) words can be read in many ways and it's hard to control for tone.
I always fear that the author will mistake what I intended to be light and humorous for hasty snark. Even commenting anonymously, I worry, perhaps too much, about offending the author.
But then I worry a lot and about many things. So, it could just be me.
/worried about the tone of this post
*One day you're reading G-rated fluff about Mulder and Scully getting, and then suddenly you find yourself reading J2 knotting stories and you don't even which one is which. (life=fail).
To quote Eduardo: "That's difficult for me, because I'm--"slasher48May 16 2011, 14:24:31 UTC
-- a huge proponent of that, but possibly too much of one.
I have always been the type to give constructive criticism: both mechanic- and content- related (though more the former than the latter). But being that type cost me my best friend (and fellow slasher) right before I joined this community, and trying to implement policies on a community I moderate that mandated accepting and utilizing constructive criticism very swiftly divided the readers/writers on the issue.
The fact is, as kissoffools mentioned above, it's difficult to tell how it's going to be taken
( ... )
Re: To quote Eduardo: "That's difficult for me, because I'm--"casey_smsMay 17 2011, 11:13:26 UTC
I comment when I want to and don't when I don't, and when I feel like I can, I leave critical insights with my praise.
I love your comments and I love you so um...I don't see anything wrong with this? The latter is probably not exactly relevant but um IT IS TRUE TO ME.
Also, for the record, you DO give good con crit. When I've asked for your opinion, you've been really helpful. I would have never finished/posted some of my fics without your cheerleading.
That said, I love love love your all caps encouraging comments. It's such a wonderful gift to receive.
something that has worthy content can make me forget about them.
THIS IS SO TRUE.
That and sometimes I'll read something because you told me it's good xD I wouldn't say there's no author bias in things either. But it's fan fic and people do it for fun and I read for fun so I don't feel like there needs to be a hard and fast rule on this.
So this is to say I care about you and what you have to say <3 and please proceed with whatever you choose and don't worry about it
( ... )
a) I only really comment on fics that I find exceptionally brilliant, so it leads to most of my comments being praise for the authour. I'm a bad, lazy commentor like that.
b) Sometimes I'd like to give critique, but I feel like no matter how I phrase it, it doesn't come out as kind enough.
c) I feel like if you post your writing you should be able to take the critique that's useful and kindly phrased (whether you're looking to improve or not, since applying the advice is your own business), but at the same time I'm aware that these memes are places that exist precisely to make posting less scary and pressuring. Sometimes I think of a useful advice, but leave it unwritten and then wonder if I'm being too protective of the author's feelings, because there's really nothing hurtful about critique as long as it's not mean-spirited. In the end, though, I don't normally give critique, not so much because I look out for the author's feelings, but because I'd like this meme to be as free of any pressure as possible.
Hmm, everything everyone said has been so good, I don't have much more to add. However, I just finished Stephen King's book On Writing, where he talks about the difference between writing with the door open (for others/public consumption) and with the door shut (for your eyes only
( ... )
Comments 19
But at the same time, there are a fair amount of writers who...are quite fabulous and I honestly can't think of things to crit them on because they're at a level that is higher than me and it makes it hard.
I do agree that perhaps we do need more constructive criticism, though.
Reply
I always fear that the author will mistake what I intended to be light and humorous for hasty snark. Even commenting anonymously, I worry, perhaps too much, about offending the author.
But then I worry a lot and about many things. So, it could just be me.
/worried about the tone of this post
*One day you're reading G-rated fluff about Mulder and Scully getting, and then suddenly you find yourself reading J2 knotting stories and you don't even which one is which. (life=fail).
Reply
I have always been the type to give constructive criticism: both mechanic- and content- related (though more the former than the latter). But being that type cost me my best friend (and fellow slasher) right before I joined this community, and trying to implement policies on a community I moderate that mandated accepting and utilizing constructive criticism very swiftly divided the readers/writers on the issue.
The fact is, as kissoffools mentioned above, it's difficult to tell how it's going to be taken ( ... )
Reply
I love your comments and I love you so um...I don't see anything wrong with this? The latter is probably not exactly relevant but um IT IS TRUE TO ME.
Also, for the record, you DO give good con crit. When I've asked for your opinion, you've been really helpful. I would have never finished/posted some of my fics without your cheerleading.
That said, I love love love your all caps encouraging comments. It's such a wonderful gift to receive.
something that has worthy content can make me forget about them.
THIS IS SO TRUE.
That and sometimes I'll read something because you told me it's good xD I wouldn't say there's no author bias in things either. But it's fan fic and people do it for fun and I read for fun so I don't feel like there needs to be a hard and fast rule on this.
So this is to say I care about you and what you have to say <3 and please proceed with whatever you choose and don't worry about it ( ... )
Reply
b) Sometimes I'd like to give critique, but I feel like no matter how I phrase it, it doesn't come out as kind enough.
c) I feel like if you post your writing you should be able to take the critique that's useful and kindly phrased (whether you're looking to improve or not, since applying the advice is your own business), but at the same time I'm aware that these memes are places that exist precisely to make posting less scary and pressuring. Sometimes I think of a useful advice, but leave it unwritten and then wonder if I'm being too protective of the author's feelings, because there's really nothing hurtful about critique as long as it's not mean-spirited. In the end, though, I don't normally give critique, not so much because I look out for the author's feelings, but because I'd like this meme to be as free of any pressure as possible.
Reply
Reply
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